What are “The Big Three” RPGs?

[T. Foster]

Yeah, we played a LOT of Cyberpunk and CP2020 c. 1988-92, it was definitely one of our top 3 most-played games during that period, but it hasn't stuck with me the way Traveller did -- I still love all the old Traveller stuff and would like to go back and run or play it again someday (maybe at SoCal Minicon 5?), whereas I'm embarrassed to even think about CP (though by now I suppose it's so dated that it could actually pass as ironic retro-hip -- dudes in mirrorshades & leather bondage gear posing like badasses while they talk on their sleek state-of-the-art brick-sized mobile phones ).

[thorvald1k]

1e
Traveller
Tunnels and Trolls (Swapped and wrote solo adventures with pen-pals)

Used to work at Table Top Games, so play tested and trialed many many other games.

A few are LaserBurn!, Reaper and my personal fav. Combat 3000.

[Steve]

PHB
MM
DMG

[Benoist]

PHB
MM
DMG

LOL because someone had to do it. Well played, Sir.

[zudrak]

PHB
MM
DMG

[tacojohn4547]

I don't really have a 'big three' rpgs from bitd. I played D&D/AD&D and that was pretty much it until after college. The gamers in my hometown played other games - Gamma World, Traveler, Boot Hill, Top Secret, etc. - but I somehow missed out on the days when those games were played. Probably because I grew up on a farm in the wheat belt and there was always work to do, cattle to feed, etc. After college, say between 1986 and 1989, when I was living in Kansas City, I played some in a CoC campaign that was set in the present day. We had a lot of fun with that campaign, even if it was only about 4-6 months in duration.

So for me, the 'big three' RPGs would have been:

D&D/AD&D
CoC
n/a

[Steve]

Seriously, I don't think there was a "Big Three" bitd. There was D&D, and as far as I'm aware, nothing was even close. Depending on how you parse it, at most you would have the "Big Two": AD&D and Basic D&D. I don't include OD&D, as OD&D was quickly eclipsed by these other two versions of the game.

Nothing was comparable to D&D until D&D began to stagnate/decline. That's how I see it, anyway.

[T. Foster]

Seriously, I don't think there was a "Big Three" bitd. There was D&D, and as far as I'm aware, nothing was even close. Depending on how you parse it, at most you would have the "Big Two": AD&D and Basic D&D. I don't include OD&D, as OD&D was quickly eclipsed by these other two versions of the game.

Nothing was comparable to D&D until D&D began to stagnate/decline. That's how I see it, anyway.

While it's true that no other rpg was really even in the same ballpark as D&D at its height, that doesn't mean that some other games didn't still achieve pretty significant success - certainly more than any of the second (or maybe even first) tier rpg companies have today. According to the statistics in the FFE reprint volumes Traveller sold something like a quarter million copies of its core rules, and several supplements and adventures also sold in 6 figures. I remember hearing a claim from Chaosium (either Greg Stafford or Charlie Krank, IIRC) at a GenCon in the mid-90s that Call of Cthulhu had sold more copies than any Lovecraft collection (though since that time Lovecraft has had a big resurgence and Chaosium pretty much fell of a cliff so I doubt that statement is true anymore). And I'm sure White Wolf, FASA, West End Games, Palladium Books, Steve Jackson Games, I.C.E., and the other big publishers of that era all had similar stories to tell.

[Random]

I'd be interested in a figure on how many of the Traveller reprints have been sold.

I have the books, supplements, and each JTAS and alien module reprint. Both adventure reprints are now out of print (either due to fewer prints or greater popularity; I would guess the latter), and I'm not sure if I should drop 48 USD on the games reprint.

I have yet to get the CD, but I'm quite tempted. I'm moving back to central Arkansas tomorrow, and I'd rather start up another game of Traveller than AD&D.

[poolboydeluxe]

I have yet to get the CD, but I'm quite tempted. I'm moving back to central Arkansas tomorrow, and I'd rather start up another game of Traveller than AD&D.

You can't go wrong with Marc's CDs. I have them for Classic Traveller, MegaTraveller, 2300, and both editions of Twilight: 2000. Love getting the entire catalog for $35.

Back to the original topic, I'd have to go with different eras of my life...

As a kid, D&D, Call of Cthulhu, and Shadowrun

The college years were Vampire, Cyberpunk, and Cthulhu

The last ten years? D&D, Warhammer Fantasy, and Traveller.

D&D and Cthulhu were the ones I've never been able to put down.

[Random]

Okay, okay, on topic.

I've only ever played D&D (various editions), Traveller (classic), and d20 Modern. I do own Marvel Super Heroes and Star Wars (2E West End Games), but I have never played them. I got them for free, so it's not like I feel bad about that.

Perhaps I'm a blasphemer, but d20 Modern wasn't actually half bad when I played it; the GM was running an alien invasion scenario. Completely over-the-top acting and general d20 nonsense* can work, but not easily for traditional fantasy or science fiction games.

*My character was essentially Mr. T, armored van included.

[Stonegiant]

I don't think I could keep it three but these were and are the big games in my life

1. B/X D&D-AD&D 1st ed.
2. Runequest/Call of Cuthulhu/Stormbringer
3. Star Frontiers
4. RECON
5. The Arcanum game by Bard Games

Honorable mentions go out to: Gangbusters, Ringworld, Top Secret, Boothill, and Behind Enemy Lines.

I would be hard pressed to shorten this list

[Kellri]

@Stonegiant - the Arcanum was one of my faves too - the Lexicon was an inspiring setting, far more interesting than Talislanta's 'weirdism'. It also seemed like a really viable alternate OD&D, an Advanced OD&D if you will.

[Philotomy Jurament]

Behind Enemy Lines.

Oh, yeah! I played the hell out of Behind Enemy Lines. Pillbox on Hill 409. Machinegun Hilton. Deadly Crossfire. That game was awesome. We always ran at least a squad -- good thing because it was highly lethal, so having extra characters was essential. (We played the Fasa version.)

[Falconer]

No surprises here, but it was still definitely an interesting thread. Leaving out things that were mentioned only once, I quickly (and, probably, a little sloppily) tallied what people said were their top three:

1. Dungeons & Dragons x 28
2. Call of Cthulhu x 12
3. Traveller x 9
4. Runequest x 7
5. Gamma World and Warhammer FRP x 3
6. Star Frontiers, Rolemaster, Top Secret, and Champions x 2